James Charles’s Sister Scandal of 2019

Once again, the social media influencer and YouTube makeup artist, James Charles, has had a scandal, but this one might end his career. He recently lost 3 million of his subscribers and counting on YouTube. Charles was recently exposed by the YouTube makeup artist and one of his closest friends (Well not anymore), Tati Westbrook.

On May 10th, 2019 Westbrook released a video on YouTube titled, “Bye Sister”. The video was about how Charles promoted Sugar Bear Hair vitamins which is Westbrook’s biggest competitor for her hair vitamin company, HaloBeauty. “I was completely blindsided,” said Westbrook, “We’ve had plenty of in-person conversations that were at length about other influencers, doing the same deal, and him not liking Sugar Bear Hair, and dragging the other people and being like, ‘Tati I’m on your side.’,” said Westbrook.

Westbrook also talked about how Charles would embarrass her in front of her parents at her birthday dinner because he would say very explicit things at the dinner table, and about how he would target straight males and seduce them with his money and fame. “You were talking in detail about things you wanted to do to the waiter. And when I said, “ James he’s straight,” your response was , “doesn’t matter I’m a celebrity”, said Westbrook.

A couple hours later Charles released a video titled,”tati”. In this video he apologized to Westbrook, the men he tried to take advantage of, his fans, and his parents. “I’m sorry for everything that is going on right now, and everything that I put you through over the past few weeks,” said Charles, “There’s nothing I can say or do to ever earn that friendship or trust back but I don’t blame them for it”.

Other influencers such as, Jeffree Star, The Dolan Twins, Kim Kardashian, have unfollowed Charles on all social media platforms and ended their relationships with him. On Twitter, Star tweeted, “There is a reason that Nathan banned James Charles from ever coming over to our home again,” Star said, referring to his partner, “There’s a reason why I haven’t seen him since Tati’s birthday in February. He is a danger to society. Everything Tati said is 100% true.”

Students from J. Frank Dobie Junior High have their similar opinions about this social media drama. 8th grader, Danielle Vicencio said, “I’m so glad I unsubscribed because I’ve always thought he was sketchy. As soon as I saw the video I immediately unfollowed him on everything.” 7th grader, Rebecca Ryan said, “I was never subscribed, but he deserved. He definitely deserved it,”

Then on May 16, 2019, Westbrook released a video titled, “Why I did it…”. In this video she was so astonished on how widely spread the drama was.. “All of this has been way, way, way bigger than I think anyone could have imagined,” she said, “I didn’t think it would get to this magnitude. I didn’t think it was possible.”

Westbrook wants all of the amounts of hate that was created on social media to come to an end.. “I do really want the hate to stop,” she said. “I want the picking sides, and the abusive memes and the language, and all of that, and I really hope on both sides it can stop. That’s not why I made the video.”

Westbrook said she was trying to get a message across to him about his inappropriate behavior. “This was really a wake-up call, and it was me trying to reach someone who I found completely unreachable,” she said. “I had been trying to deliver the same message so many times because this wasn’t just about one thing.”

Sense the video was released, Charles is slowly gaining subscribers again. Students are agreeing with Westbrook and might give Charles a second chance. 8th grader, Raelyn Jernigan says, “Sense the first video I definitely think he deserved it, but sense Tati’s new one I think she’s right. You should not be hating on someone like that because we’re all human and picking sides is not needed.” 8th grader, Kloe Babcock says, “I was never subscribed to James Charles because I thought he was boring. After Tati made her first video I subscribed to her. Then after her second one I agree that the hate is not helping anything.”

Charles then responded to Westbrooks videos with his own titled, “No more lies” on May 18, 2019. In this video he showed receipts about the false rumors and how Star treated him. “It’s becoming very concerning to me that as a society, we’re becoming okay with guilty until proven innocent instead of the other way around.”

Star came out with a video one day later in response to Charles. Star apologized to everyone for all the mean tweets and texts he sent to Charles and to Charles friends and family. Star acknowledges that he is “not going to come for James” and “not going to give the world what it wants by fueling this drama even further.”

Now everyone waits for what might happen next. 8th grader, Marquise Hamilton says, “I think this might be the end. I think that it will just die down and it’ll all just be in the past.” 8th grader, Grace Barco says, “I think the beauty community is all just gonna go down hill. Like Jeffree Star, Tati, James Charles I think they’re gonna be done. Then we could have new creators.”